Molded pulp bottle carrier



Nov. 22, 1960 J. P. BOYDAK EIAL MOLDED PULP BOTTLE CARRIER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 2'7, 1958 INVENTORS P. Boydok Henry A. Lord 46m LO Joseph F L 0cm;

ATTORNEY Nov. 22, 1960 J. P. BOYDAK EI'AL 2,961,123

MOLDED PULP BOTTLE CARRIER Filed June 27, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 wdE INVENTORS Joseph P Boydclk Henry A. Lord {ma w fii ATTORNEY "expense."

United States, Patent MOLDED PULP BOTTLE CARRIER Joseph P. Boydak and Henry A. Lord, Palmer, Mass.,

assignors to Diamond National Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed June 27, 1958, Ser. No. 745,128

7 Claims. (Cl. 220-102) The present invention relates to a bottle carrier and more particularly to a molded pulp bottle carrier having two inner and two outer sections that serve to enclose two rows of bottles.

In recent years there has come into widespread use bottle carriers that are made to support six small soft drink or beer bottles. The most widely used of these bottle carriers are of paperboard, and these paperboard carriers are usually assembled with the aid of staples and/or glue. Thus, after the paperboard sheets are made, the carrier blanks are cut therefrom, and then the blanks are assembled, and it will thus be understood that there are several expensive manufacturing steps involved after the making of the paperboard. These additional steps have been found to add to the cost of the paperboard bottle carriers. In addition, the blanks are often passed through a'prin'ting press in order to impart to" -'them desirable color and advertising material. Thus, in order to make these blanks attractive, it is necessary to furtherpr'ocessf hem, and this :further adds to the Another well known type of bottle carrier is made of metal, and these carriers are even more expensive than the paperboard carriers above discussed. This is so because'the metal of which these materials are made, as a '-'base "material, is more expensive than the paperboard, "and in addition, all of the printing and assembling processes above noted are even more expensive for metal. Thus, it is common with the metal carriers to assemble them with rivets, welding, soldering, etc. and in com- :paris'on these operations are also expensive.

An object of the present invention is to provide a bottle carrier that is relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

Another object of the present invention is the provif-sion of a bottle carrier that will give superior protection to' the bottles therein.

Still another object of the present invention is to pro-- vide a bottle carrier that can be made without expensive assembly steps in the manufacture thereof.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a bottle carrier that readily nests for shipment from I the point of manufacture to the point where bottles are placed in them.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a bottle carrier that is relatively strong and provides for stacking into a stable structure by virtue of interlock between superposed carriers. Yet another object of the present invention is the provision'of a bottle carrier that may be readily carried and still meet the objects noted above.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a bottle carrier that can be made attractive without expensive printing steps in the process of its manufacture. Other objects and the nature and advantages of the instant invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

.of each other, and because the two outer sections 18 are 35 :inner section 14- and the outer section-18 will b'ei;de-

noted from Fig. 3, for example,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a bottle carrier in accordance with the present invention and showing the four sections thereof in unfolded relationship.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 and showing how the carton of the present invention may be nested and stacked for shipment.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the carrier in bottle carrying position.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the carrier of the present invention in bottle carrying position.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the carrier in bottle carrying position.

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the carrier in a posi- -tion to receive bottles therein.

Fig. 7 is an elevational view showing a plurality of carriers in accordance with the present invention having bottles therein and in stacked relationship.

Turning now to the drawings, wherein like reference characters are used to designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, there is shown in Fig. l a bottle carrier 10 comprising a pair of innersections 12 and 14 which are joined together along a transverse fold 13. The carrier 10, which is made of molded pulp to obtain the objects and advantages above noted, also comprises the outer sections 16 and 18; outer section 16 is joined at transverse fold 20 to inner section 12 and outer section 18 is joined at transverse fold 22 to inner section 14.

Spaced slightly away from the fold 13 in the inner sec tion 14 is an elongated hand-receiving aperture 24, and there is a similar aperture in the inner section 12. Because the two inner sections 12 and 14 are mirror images 16'an'd similarly mirror images of each other; OlliYf-tfifi scribed in detail. 1

Inner section 14 further has a pair of outstanding hollow separator members 26 and 28, each separator member comprising cylindrical side walls as may best be seen in Fig. 5. Inner section 14 also has an outstanding bottle supporting floor 30 and side portions 32 and 3.4 at each side thereof. When the main plane of section 14 is vertical, as shown in Figs. 3 and 6, the separator members 26 and 28 are also vertically extending, while the floor 30 is generally horizontally extending. ,Side portions 32 and 34 serve as braces to aid in the support of the floor 30.

In order to insure that when the package is assembled there remains a space between the sections 12 and 14, there is provided on section 12, for example, a pair of spacer members 36 and 38, and to the extent of the provision of these spacer members, the inner sections 12 and 14 depart from being mirror images.

Outer section 18 has a pair of hollow separator members 40 and 42, and these members are placed in opposing relationship to the separator members 26 and 28, respectively, of the corresponding inner section 14. Outer section 18 also has side portions 44 and 46. It will be that the side portions 44 and 46 of the outer section 18 are generally triangular with the base of the triangle at the top, and that the side portions 32 and 34 are also generally triangular with the 'base at the bottom, thus providing for a meeting, or preferably an overlapping of the side portions so as to insure rier 10 Withthe inner and outer sections vertical, the sectionsbeing held in this relationship by the securing band 48. As may be seen from Figs. 4 and 5, the inner and outer sections havethe separator members thereof meeting and forming therebetween generally cylindricalbottle receiving compartments C.

The bottle carrier of thepresent invention is, as noted above, molded from v pulp slurry and :when molded has the: shape and position shown'tin Fig. ;1. it maybe conveniently stackediandnest ed for shipment, aszis'illustrated in "Fig. 2, and -as-thus--'stacked it will-be seen toibe an economical article-to ship as-wellras an inherently-economicaharticle to-manufacture. 'The innersections 1'2 and 14 are then 'folded on fold-13so that the carrier 19 has the configuration shown in Fig.6, and in this configuration or :position the bottles maybe readily inserted between the separator members of the inner sections 1'2 .and 14. I'here'a fteL-the outerisectionsmaybe folded up and the securing band 48 applied to known manner. Alternatively, the-outer-sections may be folded up and the band 48 applied before in'sertion-o'f the bottles, By either methodio'f gassernbly, it will be apparent thatthe completed carrier, including the bottles and band '48 will be strong and will afford goodpr'otection to the bottles containcditherein. he carrier and 'bottlesmay be easily transportedby use-of the apertures 24in the inner sections.

When his desired to stack apluralit-y of filled carriers for display or-s'torage purposes, thespacer members 36.and;38wil1 keep the inner sections 12 and 14' spaced apart as is shownin Figs. 3 :and :7, andthecarriers 10 may thus be stacked uponone another as shownin Fig. :7 with thefloor 30 ofan -upper carrier-resting on the dopsof-the bottles carried in the lower carrier and with the upper part of the sections 12 and 140i the bOttOm carrier 'extendingbetween the sections 1-2 and 140i the :uppencarrier.

*It .will =be=uriderstood that when --st-ac ked for display as provided in Fig. 7, the carriers-'10, l together i with "the (band i. 48, will: make an extremely attractive *andappealsateszpaekag this is {particularly-so since =the emoldedqtfilpacarriers may beofvariouscolors becanse-of.

the ease with which molded pulp articles may have adye imparted thereto during the formingthereof.

iI here has-thu'sbeen provided -aibottle carrierthat is extremely -inexpensive to manufactureand also inexpengsive to assemble. The bottle carrier of this invention ireadily nestsiot shipment and also-nests in;st'acking re- :lationship when filled with bottles. In addition, the .ipresenbbottle'carrier provides great protection for the ;bottles;therein--while permittingthefilled carrier to be steadily :and securely carried; In addition, the present f jbottle carrier provides for an attractive and eye-appealing sales package. V J i i It iwillbe obvious tothoseskilled inthe-art-"that-varigous :changes -may bemade without departing from the spirit 7, of the invention and therefore the invention 'is ,-not limitedto-what is shown --in the 'drawings and deifScI'ib'ed-Lin the specification but only as indicated in "the appended claims. i

What. is --.-claimed is: :1. ,A molded pulp bottle carrier comprising a -pair of -inner sectionsand a pair ofouter sections, the inner :sectionsbeing joined together along a transverse fold and :each outensection being joined-to one of the'inner sec- ?tions-along a transverse fold, said inner sections being 'rnpstanding when said-carrier is incarrying position and :having at the tops thereof below said first mentioned L-fold an elongated qhand receiving aperture, said inner sections ghaving outstanding hollow vertica'lly :lextending escparator members 1 having cylindrical side walls, said .;i nner:sections :further having outstanding generally hori- -zontally extending bottle supporting floors-and generally triangular-side portions having their bases at the lateral ,edges of-said floors and merging into said inner sections arms sidesthereo ,said outer sections having hollow .oiitst'anding vertically extending separator members with tions having their apices adjacent the transverse fold lines between said-inner and outer..sections,separator. members of adjacent inner and o-uter .sections meeting and forming therebetween generally-cylindrical bottle receiving compartments, a spacer member on one of said inner sections and extending toward the other of said inner sections to thereby provide a space between said inner sections to receive the upper part of the inner sections of a similar carrier placed therebelow, and :a receiving band extending aroundsaid carrier to holdthe sections thereof in carrying position.

2. The carrier of claim 1, said triangular side portions overlapping.

3. A carrier for" a plurality'of articles comprising an elongated, stackable one-piece moldedmember, a'pair of inner and outer sections, said inner sections being joined at a first transverse fold and each outer section being joined to an inner section by a second transverse fold defining the lower-margin er said inner sections, said inner sections including v overlyinghandle-forming portions including hand-receiving means adjacent said first transverse fold, said second sections including a marginal edge positioned -'below said hand-receiving means, saidinner-sections including longitudinally extending separator members forming transversely spaced cells, said inner sectionsincluding cell floors extending away from said second transverse folds into the general plane of said inner sections and forming the entire support surface for articles being carried, said inner sections including generally triangular :sides extending ata base portion the entire width .of said floors at the lower marginal edge thereof and having apex portions extending upwardly and merging into the general planegofsaid inner :sections generally at saidrhandle-forming portions "for transferring the entire "weight of :articles supported on said cell :fioors jdii-ectly to :said handle-forming :por-

' ti'o'ns, :said outer sections including portions. mating with sa-idsside Walls and separators to provide-an Ol1l'$id6 for said cells, and retaining means engageable hetween said *outer and inner sections for retaining articles on said cellfloors.

4. The structure ofclaim=-=3; said 'outer section portions :comprisingraised longitudinal separator members'engageable with saidseparators of said inner sections, said outer sections including triangular sides ,having an apex por- .tion-terminatingatisaid secondzfolds and complementary to an adjacent? edge ofthetriangularsides :of said" inner sections.

5. The structure-ofclaim-B; and spacer means-on the inner surface .of at least. one -of :said innersections for engaging the inner surfacevof'the other innerisection .to provide a transverse space therebetween, said :spacer means being spacedlongitudinally from said first transverse fold -adistance less thanthedistance to sa'idsecond transverse folds for permitting stable stacking of 'a plurality of erected "carriers withthehandle-formingporti'ons"-inserted'ibetween theiinner surfaces of said inner sections atthe cell-floors. I

-'6.',In ,a carrier for a plurality of articles, 'an elongated one-piece molded member comprising a pair of inner sections, said inner sections being joined .at .a transverse fold, said inner sections ,including overlying handle- -forming portions,including hand-receiving means .adjacentsaid-transverse fold,;said inner sections-including longitudinally extending raisedseparator; members spaced -belowsaid handrreceivingimeangand forming transversely spaced :cells, .said inner sections :including cell sfloors extending out of the planeofi-said"innerssections .and 'into the lower marginal edge thereof and .forming the r entire support surface forarticles to be carried, -said inner sections including generally triangularisides' having bases ext'endingth'e entire width of said {floors and from the lower niarginal-edgethereof and'having anapex portion merging into the general-plane of saidinner sections adjacent said handle forming portions for transmitting the entire weight of articles supported on said cell floors directly to said handle forming portions, and an articlestabilizing band circumpositional about said carrier for retaining the articles on said floors.

7. The structure of claim 6; and spacer means on the inner surface of at least one inner section for engaging the adjacent inner surface of the other inner section to provide a transverse space therebetween, said spacer means being spaced longitudinally from said transverse fold a distance less than the distance to said cell floors for permitting stable stacking of a plurality of erected carriers with the handle forming portions inserted between the inner surfaces of said inner sections at the cell floors.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,089,297 Read et a1. Aug. 10, 1937 2,361,926 Brogden Nov. 7, 1944 2,821,327 Glazer Jan. 28, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 705,279 Great Britain Mar. 10, 1954 

